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In the retail world, the future of payment options is very much in flux. Cloud-based platforms, mobile commerce and NFC technology are all starting to gain a foothold in the retail industry, but it can be difficult for a merchant to know which bucket to put their eggs.

A recent article from Point of Sale News recaps an Infogroup Targeting Solutions survey that found 77 percent of Canadian small business merchants plan on using mobile checkout strategies in the next few years. More than half of them say a system could be in place by 2018. That would triple the number of retailers using mobile POS solutions now.

"This is essentially the compact car of the payment processing industry," Parry Rosenberg, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at MONEXgroup, told the news source. "This … more

Many organizations are looking for different ways to connect with their customers and provide a more personalized shopping experience. Imagine walking up to a vending machine and finding it stocked with all of your favorite treats. Customers would immediately get drawn in and start looking for those machines.

This is far from being just a marketer's dream, as SAP has created a smart vending machine that allows users to make payments through an NFC link and social profile. Consumers simply tap their smartphone against a receiver on the machine. This actives the machine, which in turn pulls the customer information from the cloud. Funds are taken from a preselected account and the video screen provides information like last purchased items and customized special offers. … more

For the last few years, the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the payment world has been the "next big thing." However, you are more likely to use the chip to send pictures between smartphones or connect a device to a third party peripheral. The question then becomes, why have payments and NFC not been joined in a partnership yet?

A recent article from the Calgary Herald examined the current landscape of NFC technology and attempted to answer this question. According to the news source, the problem is not the technology, but rather the system or solutions around it.

"It starts with the banks and credit companies that need to invest in the new opportunity and bridge consumers and merchants by offering a secure and standard payment system," the article reads. … more

There was big news in the mobile payment landscape at the end of last month as PayPal acquired Braintree—a company that specializes in mobile transactions. This is another example of the feeling that mobile devices will play a major role in the future of consumer payments.

BI Intelligence released the results of a study that looked at the main reasons for this trend. The numbers show that overall, mobile commerce is still in its early stages as only 7.9 million U.S. consumers have an NFC-compatible system. That equates to less than 9 percent of the market.

Despite that, in-store mobile payments nearly quadrupled last year. On top of that, smartphone and tablet POS systems have penetrated more deeply into the retail sector for both small businesses and larger enterprises. The … more

The idea of stepping up to the register, placing an order and tapping your smartphone to an NFC receiver to make a payment is gaining steam in the minds of many merchants. While they may not have plans to roll out a particular system right now, many are watching their industries to see what companies are, and the results of their efforts. For the fast casual eatery industry, all eyes are on McDonald's.

According to a recent report from Nation's Restaurant News, McDonald's is in the process of testing mobile payment devices. In a written statement to the news source, the company did acknowledge that these trials are taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah and Austin, Texas. However, the statement also said it is far too early to speculate as to any future decisions on using … more